Ohio lawmaker: Drug test bailed out bankers and politicians

Republican lawmakers across the country have called for those seeking temporary government assistance to be drug tested. One state representative wants to extend the principle one step further, and drug test recipients of corporate welfare.

Ohio state Rep. Robert Hagan appeared Tuesday night on MSNBCs’ The Rachel Maddow Show to discuss his proposal.

“Thank you for allowing me to tell the rest of the country how insensitive and ridiculous my Republican colleagues are in the legislature,” he said.

Following the example set by Florida and Missouri, Ohio lawmakers have introduced legislation that would require anyone apply for welfare to submit to a drug test.

Hagan said that if Republicans wanted to be consistent, they should drug test everyone who receives public money, including politicians, judges and recipients of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) — rather than just working and middle class people.

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Eric W. Dolan has served as an editor for Raw Story since August 2010,
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